Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Eco Sanctuary

If you are looking for a truly rustic "eco-lodge" this is the place for you. The lodge is fully contained, from supplying their own water to their laundry service that uses an incredibly efficient "solar dryer" and use of a fan instead of AC. All the bungalows are deep in the forest. Activities that we would recommend are the mangrove safari either by boat or kayak and the waterfall hike. Birds are abundant as are reptiles and various interesting insects. The people that work there make this a truly special experience. Our primary guide was Steven. He is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the flora and fauna that are found at the Lodge and in the neighboring national park. He is particularly adept at finding and identifying birds. Michelle is the yoga instructor and masseuse. She is exceptional. Having a great massage on a platform that is on the beach is terrific. The wait staff led by Caesar is exuberant and provide terrific service that is matched by tasty meals. Even the boat captain Memo, is warm and skilled at navigating the tricky parts of the mangrove estuary.

My wife and I stayed here for 9 days in mid May. We had an amazing time. The environment is truly a tropical rainforest. It sits on secondary rainforest but a short waterfall hike goes into primary rainforest. We did attempt the loop trail to a viewing platform which was very challenging, as it goes up to 700 meters I think, but had to turn around as we were exhausted. The humidity in May also plays a significant role in your physical limits. You will sleep with a fan blowing directly on you and still have that sticky feeling on the skin. But we did sleep very well. Just be prepared. As for the staff, absolutely great people. Friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic! Special shout out to our guides Steven and Jean Carlos. Both very knowledgeable of the wildlife and fun to be around. Michelle the amazing yoga teacher and masseuse. I credit those yoga sessions with helping me get into the present and appreciate the natural environment you are blessed with there. My wife loved the massage! Also would like to thank our fishing captains Thomas, Raffy, and Jeffery. They really put us on the fish - skip jack tuna, mackerel, snapper, and jackfish. The fishing in the Golfo Dulce is the best. You literally see the sea boil with fish in places. And they cooked the fish for us! Which reminds me the food was delicious and healthy. Oh and monkeys swinging in the trees around your cabin. Dolphins, rays, sea turtles, and colorful fish in the sea. We would love to come back!

An absolutely unique and wonderful place. Forget doing a hike around a National Park in Costa Rica, stay in one instead! This place is part of Piedras Blancas National Park and has the lovely dual offer of a private beach as well as being completely in the jungle. You will not feel more remote very often and it’s a perfect place to truly switch off and get away from everything. We initially had to get used to the accommodation, as you really are staying in the middle of the jungle in an open lodge with just netting around your bed, but once we realised that the animals are more scared of us than we are of them, and that we were perfectly safe, we really enjoyed it and had a good night sleep! The activities offered by the lodge are really good, we had an excellent time kayaking and snorkelling, as well as birdwatching. My personal favourite was the kayaking tour along the mangroves - with some dolphins, snakes and crocs thrown in!- absolutely stunning! But what was probably the best about this place were the people who work there. They are all genuinely happy to work there and will go above and beyond to give you the best possible experience. The best example of this is that the kitchen staff invited our two daughters to come and bake biscuits with them, giving us time to pack our bags in peace. A simple gesture that went a long way, and the biscuits were delicious!!

This is an eco, sustainability experience for the adventurous! The staff are amazing —professional, courteous and responsive! The food was outstanding and served at a communal table with other guests from around the world. The activities were well done and safe! We loved the dolphin tour, fishing experience and sunset tour! The commitment to sustainability and local food was great! Accommodations are rustic and open air (no air conditioning) with shuttered doors to close for the evenings.

My husband and I visited Playa Nicuesa to celebrate my 81st birthday. We had been two years before and had a marvelous time. We came over the border from where we were staying in Panama. We had a fabulous time. The Golfo Dulce, the rain forest setting, the facilities (which are constucted in our view like African safari lodges), the staff and the food were all excellent. We saw wonderful birds and wildlife and highly recommend you book this unique place as soon as you are able.

Playa Nicuesa Lodge was a lovely place to stay. It was the perfect balance of education, activity and leisure. The guides were very knowledgeable, the staff so friendly and the food amazing! You stay within the rainforest on the edge of the ocean, surrounded by amazing flora and fauna.